Definitions for describe
dɪˈskraɪbde·scribe

Princeton's WordNet(4.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. describe, depict, draw(verb)

   give a description of

   "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"

2. report, describe, account(verb)

   to give an account or representation of in words

   "Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental"

3. trace, draw, line, describe, delineate(verb)

   make a mark or lines on a surface

   "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand"

4. identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, describe, name(verb)

   identify as in botany or biology, for example

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe(Verb)

   To represent in words.

   The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

2. describe(Verb)

   To give rise to a geometrical structure.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

3. describe(Verb)

   To scientifically reveal a new species by technically explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other species.

   The fungus was first described by a botanist.

   Etymology: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

Webster Dictionary(1.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe(verb)

   to represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle

2. Describe(verb)

   to represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities

3. Describe(verb)

   to distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class

4. Describe(verb)

   to use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe

   dē-skrīb′, v.t. to trace out or delineate: to give an account of.—adj. Describ′able.—n. Describ′er. [L. describĕre—de, down, and scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. describe

   To create using words.

   They did describe how they felt and it was great to know they too were also happy and felt very loved.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 16, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2425

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2430

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Verbs Frequency: #93

How to pronounce describe?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say describe in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of describe in a Sentence

1. John Burns:

   People with disabilities should be taken seriously. You don't take away somebody's legs and then describe Federal Court as an inconvenience. No, this is an injury.

2. Judge Robert J. Devlin Jr.:

   This is a horrific crime, there’s no other way to describe it.

3. Associated Press:

   I ca n’t describe how thrilled and honoured I am to be taking over from the brilliant Craig Ferguson, it’s madness, really. When I got the job, I ’d never even been on an American talk show.

4. Di Vincenzo:

   We have a nearly complete human fossil skeleton to describe and study in detail. It is a dream, his morphology offers a rare glimpse on the earliest phase of the evolutionary history of Neanderthals and on one of the most crucial events in human evolution. He can help us better understand when — and, in particular, how — Neanderthals evolved.

5. Ben Mee:

   To describe I have to use words that I cannot. It is better we finish. I don't want to look silly in front of you. I am surprised we didn't lose.

Images & Illustrations of describe

Popularity rank by frequency of use